How bad is getting blood drawn? For me it is like the WORST! I am getting tested for food allergies along with Pia since most allergic children have an allergic parent. One look at Pete’s perfect unwrinkled olive skin and strong, never sick or injured body and it is pretty clear who the allergic parent is going to be. The results will be very, very interesting. In the mean time, I had to get this blood drawn. I have the tiniest little veins and the blood always has to come out of my hand, etc, etc. So I rubbed my hands with numbing cream. Then of course, she took it out of my arm. I had to act like it was no big deal since the kids were watching- but it did not feel good! Then I had to drag the overly tired girls downtown to multiple AT&T stores to get my broken phone fixed. Basically it was a real pleasure.
So when I got home, I felt that I needed to “reward” myself with a special treat. The special treat consists of one of these Gingerbread Bars and a rather large glass of Bourbon with ice. It hit the spot.
These are completely out-of control, unbelievably delicious. It is like the soft, chewiness of a brownie, but they are gingerbread flavored. And nothing pares with gingerbread (besides bourbon) like cream cheese frosting.
I froze tehse after making them and they have slowly and steadily been walking out of the freezer. Between Coco, Pete and I, they are almost gone. These would be awesome to have around for the Holidays, or to bring as dessert on Christmas- and they absolutely do well in the freezer, so feel free to whip them up at any point!
To make these gingerbread bars, this is what you do:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and prepare a 9×13 jelly roll pan (a quarter sheet pan with edges) with parchment or a silpat
In the bowl of a standing mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add the molasses and eggs and combine well.
In a separate bowl combine the dry ingredients and then add them to the batter. Combine well.
Evenly spread the gingerbread batter into the baking pan.
Bake the gingerbread bars for 25 minutes and then let them cool.
When the bars are completely cooled, make the cream cheese frosting.
In the bowl of a standing mixer, whip together the butter, cream cheese, a pinch of salt and powdered sugar until fluffy.
Spread the frosting over the gingerbread bars and then slice them into bars. (I cut the whole pan into quarters and then lift them out onto a cutting board and cut each quarter into bars).
Recipe: Gingerbread Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting
makes two dozen small bars
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup molasses
- 2 egg
- 4 cups flour
- 4 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons ginger
- 1 teaspoon cloves
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Cream Cheese Frosting
- ½ cup butter, softened
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- pinch of salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and prepare a 9×13 jelly roll pan (a quarter sheet pan with edges) with parchment or a silpat
- In the bowl of a standing mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add the molasses and eggs and combine well.
- In a separate bowl combine the dry ingredients and then add them to the batter. Combine well.
- Evenly spread the gingerbread batter into the baking pan. Bake the gingerbread bars for 25 minutes and then let them cool.
- When the bars are completely cooled, make the cream cheese frosting.
- In the bowl of a standing mixer, whip together the butter, cream cheese, a pinch of salt and powdered sugar until fluffy.
- Spread the frosting over the gingerbread bars and then slice them into bars. (I cut the whole pan into quarters and then lift them out onto a cutting board and cut each quarter into bars).
Preparation time: 10 minute(s)
Cooking time: 25 minute(s)
Love how thick the cream cheese frosting layer is!!
thanks Elizabeth! Gotta love it when the icing is as thick as the bar 🙂
Love that thick layer of frosting, one of these would be perfect after a rough Monday!
These do look comforting. That layer of cream cheese icing is like a thick blanket of goodness.
Ugh! That day sounds like the pits, girl. At least it’s over. And an extra large glass of bourbon with ice ALWAYS makes things better!!! And these gingerbread bars!? Pssh! I’d have eaten them all.
I think I am a new fan of the tall Bourbon with ice! So little goes so very far!lol! thanks Ashley 🙂
Love this – the frosting looks especially tasty!
thank you Katrina!!
Oh my gosh just the title of these was enough to get me excited! They look amazing. I am making these for Christmas Eve at my son’s house. Tiny veins are not funny. You can request a pediatric needle and there’s even an ultrasound gizmo they can use to find the best vein. I’ve had to watch this procedure many times with the mother in law. It’s all in the skill of the person doing the draw. It’s a gift.
Yum! I wish I had one right now to eat with my coffee.
Gingerbread!! I haven’t had any yet this season, so now I’m really having some fairly serious cravings. 🙂 These bars look so fantastic. Clearly perfect for a holiday party too!
I just love this entire post! Where is the LIKE button?! 😉
I love the thick layer of icing!
Wow, Heather!! I love anything with ginger and especially sweet gingerbread type treats! Bar form is awesome!! It’s worth getting the blood drawn for… Kinda ;). I have always gotten tons of blood drawn for each kid I had, and it’s no walk in the park. Your self-reward bars are the silver lining 🙂
These look and sound yummy! I think this will be a great addition to must bake things for the season. It will be on the table with other goodies Christmas night. Perhaps the Bourbon to! Thanksp
These look and sound yummy! I think this will be a great addition to must bake things for the season. It will be on the table with other goodies Christmas night. Perhaps the Bourbon to! Thanks
Making these for book club tomorrow night. Can’t wait to try them out!
I’m glad this makes a lot! Sorry about Pia..and you..I’d say switch to dehydrated dog food which is what I do with my Freddie who practically has no hair though it does seem to be finally working…Human grade consumption and costs more than meat… But then you wouldn’t be able to eat these great bars and dog food isn’t much fun for humans. I think I need the bourbon, too!
Yum. I adore gingerbread, and the cake to frosting ratio here is pretty epic. Happy to see I’m not the only one breaking out the sprinkles these days! Happiest holidays, Heather!
wait…..I’m going to make these right now and I’m just realizing it says 1 1/2 cups butter for batter. Is that right or is it 2 sticks and then one for the frosting? also 4 cups of flour seems like a lot? sorry, just want to double check.
recipe is correct- the frosting is separate!
and one more question…..how do you get 48 servings out of one 9 x13 pan? I feel like I’m missing something. which, most likely, I am 😉
Hi Tara- I actually used a 9 1/2×14 pan (a quarter sheet pan). But I realize that those are not the most common, so a 9×13 will just bake up sliiiiightly thicker than the ones I have shown. The 48 is a typo. I would say that you get 2 dozen small bars- thank yoU! I will change that right now!
Tried this with a 9 x 13 pyrrx cake pan and a metal pan. Edges came out a little over done and middle a lil mushy for both. Any tips?
I used a jelly roll pan (just a baking sheet with edges?) I think that the thin spread must have been key.
I recently moved to Nevada, at the start of summer, not so smart! But my only child will be attending collage here in the fall; does this state get fall? I am truly a cold weather girl and would love to move to any place on earth that had a full change of seasons, but I truly love cold, rainy, or snowy weather. Here I am, the end of July, and 106 outside and I’m longing for a white Christmas! I don’t know if this state ever has a cold day, but I decided to look to you Heather for some comfort food and a reminder of cooler times. I choose ginger bread to search for, and I must say, these bar look as if they will do the trick. I already have visions of sugarplums dancing in my head! Thank you for always sharing your very best. I can’t wait to see more.
Thank you so much Tina!! It totally snows in Nevada!!! Let me know if you make these as it gets colder!
Hello! I was wondering if you use salted or unsalted butter in the bars? Thanks!
I used salted 🙂